Why Paints Crack and Peel

One of the usual heartbreaks of DIY painting is the sudden and immediate appearance of cracks and peels. Do these marks naturally occur over time? Could these marks be the result of something that you missed in the process of painting? What can be done about them?

Well, to be able to do something about cracks and peels, it helps to understand what causes them. Check out these reasons for why paints crack and peel.

Poor Surface Preparation

Most newbie DIY painters fail to understand the importance of prepping your surface before applying paint.

Surface preparation, done correctly and properly, gets half of the paint job done.  The main objective of this step in the painting process is to condition your surface for your paint to adhere properly to. Because if it fails to do so, then there would spaces that air or water could seep into to create pockets that would later become cracks or would cause for your paint film to peel off.

When done correctly, surface preparation not only makes the actual painting smooth and easy, but it also makes sure that cracks and peels won’t appear for, at least, a couple of years.

So before you brush on your primer paint, take the time to go through the typical preparation steps:

• Remove old paint
• Scrub off dirt and debris
• De-grease, if needed
• Wash—AND DRY!—para sure

Damp and Wet Weather

Moisture is your main culprit behind cracks and peels. Along with dirt, grease and other debris on your surface, moisture becomes a barrier that keeps the paint from properly adhering to your substrate.

If there’s water on your substrate, the best thing to do is to wait for it to naturally dry.

Wrong Paint for the Wrong the Surface

There are many different types of paints and coatings, formulated for varying purposes and surfaces to be applied on. Anti-rust paint is for metal, wood stains are meant to enhance wood’s natural texture, and so on.

Of course using paint for a purpose or a surface it is not intended for will lead to unsatisfactory results. To make sure that your project is a success, use the right paint for the job.

Read more on house makeover and home maintenance suggestions with Para Sure tips from Island Paints.